UK approves Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea

The UK government has approved the controversial Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh announced the decision on Tuesday. It matters because the governing Labour Party promised in its 2024 election manifesto not to issue new drilling licences in the North Sea, so the move is bound to fuel debate over that pledge.

Jackdaw is operated by Shell. The Rosebank oilfield, run by Norway's Equinor, is in a similar position, though the government is deciding on it separately. Both projects already held licences, but their environmental approval was rescinded after a judge ruled that the companies had to account for emissions from burning the oil and gas they produce. The companies resubmitted their applications this year.

The government's case

The government says the field will begin supplying gas to homes and businesses from the end of the month. The energy secretary said the decision would support energy security and reduce reliance on imported fuels with higher emissions, while the UK continues its transition to renewables and nuclear power. She said it is compatible with legally binding climate commitments, and that the government remains committed to ending new oil and gas licences and reaching net zero by 2050.

The decision had been expected last month but was delayed, apparently until after the 8 October byelection in Holborn and St Pancras, where Labour defended a seat against a Green Party challenge and won.

Criticism and support

Tessa Khan, executive director of the campaign group Uplift, said Jackdaw would supply about 2% of UK gas demand for roughly 10 years and, being largely unmanned and remotely operated, would not stop the decline in North Sea jobs. Green Party leader Zack Polanski called the decision "climate vandalism".

The oil and gas industry says the fields will provide 10% of UK output at their peak. Adura, a joint venture of Shell and Equinor, commissioned a report saying that rejecting the two projects would cost the economy nearly £10.8bn over the next decade. A Savanta poll for the climate group E3G found that nearly a third of voters would be less likely to vote Labour if it approved more North Sea drilling.